Wilmington schools aim to boost literacy

WILMINGTON -- District Literacy Plan Committee members gave a presentation at Wednesday's School Committee meeting outlining goals and strategies to improve performance among Wilmington students.

Holly Banusiewicz, a reading specialist at the Woburn Street School, Christine McMenimen, the North Intermediate School principal, and Michele LeVesque, a fifth-grade teacher at the West Intermediate School, all spoke on the need to change the approach to literacy.

"Our literacy scores have neither gone up or gone down," Banusiewicz said. "We know how critical early intervention is for students."

The primary focus of the committee has been to address the needs of students at the elementary level. Being able to make a difference in students before they reach third grade can have a huge impact in their performance going forward, Banusiewicz said. However, the team also plans to create a "universal screen" to help identify those in the sixth grade and up who may be at risk.

The District Literacy Plan Committee members explained that part of the plan to address this issue is to create more one-on-one time with students and teachers, to be able to tailor instruction for students, whether they be "at risk" or at a "higher level." Banusiewicz said it will be time-consuming, but worth it.

A one-on-one Benchmark Assessment System will also be in place to evaluate students' fluency, accuracy and comprehension in reading.

Advertisement

Banusiewicz said it will help to answer the question, "What are they mastering and what do they still need support in?"

LeVesque said the ultimate goal is to have improved performance of all students, but that there needs to be resources for teachers for that goal to be realized. They have partnered with Teaching Learning Alliance, a consulting firm, to help achieve that goal.

"This summer, TLA is offering workshops for all elementary school teachers," LeVesque said.

The next phase for the District Literacy Plan Committee will be to refine and continue implementation of the plan for the next school year.

In other business:

* School Committee Chair Julie Broussard asked for a moment of silence for 12-year-old Wilmington student, James Rooney, who died May 27. Superintendent Mary DeLai also acknowledged his life and the help of the school staff during that difficult time.

* School Committee members presented its evaluation of DeLai. She received an overall "proficient" score, just one step down from the highest rating of "exemplary."

* The School Committee approved the donation of the Wilmington Educational Foundation technology grant, which amounted to $5,086. There are six grant recipients.

* Wilmington's Special Education Parent Advisory Council is looking to increase its membership. Email SEPAC@wpsk12.com for more information.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sun. So keep it civil.